Eczema Remedy

HI there - I really hope I can help - I know plenty of people who's kids have eczema and the one thing I have learned about it is that it is an inflammatory response. It can be due to food allergies (things like eggs, peanuts, gluten). I also know that it is a manifestation of asthma.

I have found that steroids dont' really work very effectively, actually most topical creams and ointments don't work at all. This is due to the fact that is is something INSIDE their body causing the skin reaction. I have seen children clear up in as little as 4 days by drinking aloe juice.

It sounds groos, but it actually tastes pretty good (at least the kind I drink) and it can be diluted with water or fruit juices.

I buy mine from www.marketamerica.com/pgp

It is called Ultimate Aloe Juice and comes in regular, Cranberry-Apple, Pomegranate and Strawberry-Kiwi flavors. I like the Strawberry-kiwi best but if there is an allergy to strawberries I would avoid it.

I don't know if this is still a problem for you or not but both of my older sons have suffered from eczema since they were born as well. I tried over the counter remedies as well as prescriptions and nothing helped the way Arbonne's Baby Care line has.

My middle son had it so bad on his face it would bleed and I feared his face was going to scar but the products healed his face perfectly as well.

I now use the product line on all of my children. My oldest used to get patches and even without daily treatment, his skin is perfect. If I try to slip anything other than Arbonne into the bath, he reminds me that he only uses Arbonne because everything else makes him itch.

I am very thankful to have found this product line. You can email me with any questions.

My 16-month old also has eczema but mildly. We've noticed that it flares up after she eats certain foods; therefore, she cannot eat anything dairy, peanut butter, eggs or chocolate. Try keeping a log or something to track if the flareups are after eating/drinking certain food items.

R.,

My son also had eczema from birth. I did extensive research at that time and found out that the number one trigger is dust mites. I use some fantastic natural products from a company called Melaleuca - www.Melaleuca.com - and his ezcema is gone! Two weeks after I became a customer and started using their laundry, cleaning and dish products, his skin cleared up. I don't do anything special for him now - I don't even put lotion on his skin on a regular basis. He's free and clear and I love Melaleuca! It might be worth a try. Let me know if you want more info and I will tell you specifically what I did.

Thanks,
R.

Hello R.,

I have never experienced this, but my girlfriend however has so I asked for her input. She says "for the cradle cap, to put baby oil on the scalp. for the eczema, try to let her get some sunlight." Good Luck and I hope this helps
A.
Mother of a 3 year and one on the way

hi R.,
my niece has bad eczema and my sister's Dr told her to put vaseline on it. she said it works the best. her dr is in Baltimore, or i'd give you the name...
good luck!
jen

Hi R.!

My daughter also had cradle cap. My doctor reccommended rubbing baby oil into her scalp and brushing it out. This worked after a few days. It is kind of messy though, especially if she has hair like my daughter was born with. There is also a cradle cap shampoo that I found at Babies r us that was fabulous (remember to wash with regular baby shampoo after is she has hair though, otherwise it will look greasy).

My daughter also has a slight case of eczema, and she is allergic to aquafor, so I use Aveeno hydrocortizone cream which seems to work on her skin really well.

Good Luck
M.

I feel for you baby. I have had eczema since birth. I will check on a shampoo for the cradle cap (my mother-in-law owned a salon and gave us the best shampoo for my son's c. cap).

As for his skin anything with a steroid is not good and too much cortizone thins the skin. For me (and most others who suffer with us) it is a reaction to food and heat. As I have gotten older I have found more that I am sensitive to. If I drink certain things (apple or orange juice) i will usually have an out break on the inside of my arms, fingers, neck. Other foods won't cause an outbreak until I am in the sun or take a hot shower. Heat will cause these to only bring it to the surface and make it hurt/itch more. Take as cool a shower as possible and applying ice will help with any itching.

The best thing I have ever used is a lotion/cleanser. It is called Cetaphil (it can be purchased at CVS, Walmart, RiteAid etc) It is about $10.00 a bottle (or the off brand works just as well) It isn't soap but it cleanses the skin a leave a thin film on the skin. I reccomend that for younger childeren and Aveeno Oatmeal bar for older childeren/adults. You will need soap for armpits and all those lovely areas but the skin and face should be free from dyes and fragrance. (oh a running laundry through the rinse cycle twice has done wonders for me)

In closing (sorry it is a novel) your best bet to figuring out what your baby girl is allergic to (what causes the flare ups) is trial and error... if she has been eatting a lot of wheat (bread, crackers, muffins) ommit them and if she clears up bring them back, same with juices, fruits, beans, whatever- the only true way to learn what you are sensitive too.

You will find most of this info in homepathic books too. My husband sees a homeopathic doctor (he was a medical doc for 25 years and "switched") and most everything he has suggested can be found in these types of books.

Where (what region) do you live in... I will get my husband's doctor's name. He used to provide phone consults on certain days. So if you are out of his area he still might be able to help.

I hope this is helpful. If it helps my mom had the same condition as a child and has out grown it... my husband and son (almost four) appear to have built a tolerance to most the foods that used to bother them. Hopefully, she will too.

J.

I have had eczema all my life. I have seen numerous doctors. The best bet for your baby is AVEENO cream..as often as the baby gets wet. Elidel is a nice cream for baby's skin.

When my son was little the doctor gave him Elidel because from my understanding it is NOT a steroid. He has psoriasis which is quite close. Find out if they can give you that maybe--he was on it from 6 months and it worked wonders.
H.

I sometimes find aquaphor is too thick. As an alternative, you might want to consider Vanicream. It's great! You can buy it over the counter, but you'll probably need to ask the pharmacist to order it for you. Good luck!

R.,
I had to respond to this because my 6 year old daughter suffered from Eczema when she was little and it was just terrible. She always looked like she was in a cat fight and the cat won!! We used to have to tie mittens on her hands because she would scratch until she bled and it would break my heart to watch!!! I feel for you!

At the age of about 2 I started giving her OPC-3. It is an antioxident that comes in powder form. As you weren't supposed to take it with other liquids and the taste wasn't pleasing to her, I would mix it with the powdered (liquid) children's vitamins from the same company. Her flare ups dramatically decreased as did her allergies (they often come together). She still takes both the OPC-3 and the children's vitamins and rarely has a flare up. I believe it is something she would have grown out of anyway (at least it would have lessened), but I think the OPC-3 really helped her alot.

Good luck to you!! I know what you are going through!!

N.

Hi,
Try Franne Berez. She is an MD and a natural path - with an office in Squirl Hill.
Also - I use a wash product from a brand called Ebaviva. It was the only product I could find on the market that contained the benfits of oatmeal without all of the junk main-stream brands use.

I don't know much about this, but have you considered changing her diet? Wheat allergies can cause eczema. And wheat/gluten are in everything!! I don't know anything about remedies other than Aveeno products. But see if a change in diet helps.

I have some incredible lotion, I can give you a free sample if you are interested call me at ###-###-####. It really helped my rash, and I know several people who had eczema cleared up because of it.

A. R.

My nephew, now 10 yrs. old, suffered from eczema until about age 2 1/2. He had a pretty severe case and was also treated with steroids. My sister sought alternative remedies as well. She found that frequent warm baths in Aveeno oatmeal worked well. When things got really extreme (cracked, open skin), she would lather the worse spots w/Vaseline & wrap them in plastic wrap. It helped to keep the areas very moist. Be careful of the steroid creams b/c they can decrease the pigment of the skin in the areas it is frequently used. My nephew has white spots now when he darkens in the summer sun. Good luck!

The only thing I have heard that really works is the all natural Arbonne products - the baby wash and the baby lotion. My girlfriends who have children with severe eczema swear by the products. They say it takes 3 days of using these products and then poof! I think it is about $22 for both products but you have to get them from a consultant. I have a friend who is one if you are interested.

K.

Resham - This may be a late response but I wanted to let you know that my 11 month old son also suffers from eczema.
The only that worked for us was a natural product called Borage cream - product brand is Shikai - it is amazing and was the only thing that worked. Best of all - it has all natural ingredients and is gentle (also no fragrance).
I really recomend you try this - you can find it at the Lionville pharmacy or at Whole Foods or Wegmans.
Check it out and let me know what happens.
My son's was so bad his legs and arms cracked and bled and got infected. This product worked over every prescription we tried. Don't be afraid becasue it's all natural - some people think that is weird.
Good luck!
M.

Hi R.,

My 18 month old also has Eczema, which I'm sure you know is made worse by the heat. My doctor prescribed a prescription lotion with Acid mantle and hydrocortisone. Acid mantel is a natural oil of the skin that is lost when washing with chemicals etc. He also recommended using Cetaphil body wash and lotion after each bath. I also apply baby oil after each bath. I have found that the Cetaphil and baby oil work fantastic and that I do not need to use the prescription lotion 4 times daily as prescribed. I only use it if she has a flare up. I have copied and pasted an informational paper regarding acid mantle. Hope this helps...Good luck! J.

Sebum is an oily secretion produced by sebacious glands, tiny ducts adjacent to hair follicles. Sebum is secreted into the follicle, from which it spreads over the hair and skin. The main role of sebum is to waterproof the skin and hair. Both excess and lack of sebum are undesirable. Excess sebum is associated with oily skin and acne. It is particularly common in adolescents as the increased levels of sex hormones stimulate sebum production. Lack of sebum, which is common in middle and older age, leads to skin dryness and accelerates wrinkle formation.

Sweat is a salty, watery solution produced by sweat glands, numerous microscopic channels opening onto the skin surface. As sebum and sweat mix up on the skin surface, they form a protective layer often referred to as the acid mantle . Acid mantle has a particular level of acidity characterized by pH from about 4 to 5.5. A pH of 7 is considered neutral, above 7 is alkaline, and below is acidic. The pH of acid in the human stomach, for example, is usually from 1 to 2, which is highly acidic. The skin, on the other hand, is mildly acidic. In addition to helping protect skin from "the elements" (such as wind or pollutants), acid mantle also inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria and fungi. If acid mantle is disrupted or loses its acidity, the skin becomes more prone to damage and infection. The loss of acid mantle is one of the side-effects of washing the skin with soaps or detergents of moderate or high strength.

P.S. I have read many of the responses. Most believe that allergies are the CAUSE of Eczema. I have learned that allergies (just like heat) make the rash worse but are not the cause of true Eczema. Other skin rashes can look similiar to Eczema that are caused by food allergies which makes diagnosis more difficult.

Have you tried Eucerin or Aveeno? That works for my son.

Hello. My daughter too has had ezcema since birth. I has gotten better since she was around 18 months. However it is starting to flare up a little this summer (she is 25 months now). We used variious natural creams that seemed to work. I too did not want to use too many medications all the time. We use "Weleda Calendula" cream/lotion, soap, and diaper cream, and Burt's Bees shampoo bar. After many different lotions and medication this combination works the best for her daily care. As far as sunscreen goes we also tried the gamut and found that "Nature' Gate" Kids sunscreen and "California Baby" Sunscreen do not flare her up. We also became VERY cognizant of what she was eating. She has some food allergies and many food sensitivities. It is a science trying to figure it all out. Good luck.
H.

I am a 57-years old grandmother who suffered with Eczema for approximately 50-years. Upon changing the soap I was using to NATURERICH MOISTURIZING SOAP, which I use to shower & wash my hair (I bathe three times a week in 1 oz. of NATURERICH MOISTURIZING SOAP & 2 OZS. ENERGIZING MINERAL BATH), and applying NATURERICH GEL to my hair & body, I am happy to report that the Eczema no longer exists! I also use the NATURERICH SKIN MOISTURIZER. You can purchase the products at:
http://experiencelife.naturerich.net

R.,

My son first showed signs of eczema at 6 months. He is now 25 months. We have tried many topical prescription creams with limited sucess. Right now he is applying a compound of aquaphor mixed with a prescription strength hydrocortizone cream (I think 2%). It was prescribed by his pediatrician and had to be mixed at the pharmacy. It is working well for him. I apply it twice a day and then moisturize at least once day. It is pricey - $80.00 for a few months worth and our insurance didn't cover any of it.

I also use Aveeno products - baby wash with oatmeal, oatmeal bath and baby lotions with oatmeal.

He also recently had blood work to check for allergies hoping to find the cause of the eczema. He does have some mild food allergies so we are going to avoid those foods to see if that helps.

As a side note, my son uses inhaled steriods if he exhibits wheezing symptoms when he has a cold. I noticed his eczema clears up quickly when he takes those steroids. I, too, am not a fan of steroids unless they are necessary, but I thought my son's experience with them was worth mentioning to you. Good luck to you and your daughter...it is a difficult condition to treat.

Hello R.,

My daughter is 6 years old and was born with eczema, she has a wonderful peditrician Doctor Garcia they are located at 4700 Union Deposit Road. My daughter has no breakouts at all anymore because her doctor told me that cows milk inflames eczema and also causes asthma so as a baby she was on a nutrimagen formula which has the same nutrients as milk and she now is drinking orange juices and other things with high calcium. She baths with unscented Dove After her bath I pad dry her skin I dont dry her off completely and I then apply Eucerin wich you can purchase in any store and is not steriod based.

my son's exzema was so bad that they thought it was "soriasis" (spelled right?) they gave me steroid too, but it would hurt him... i have tried soooo many different things:
i have changed laundry detergents to non-allergenic.
i make sure he never has skin tight clothes on
i always after bathing him rub lots and lots of AVEENO lotion on him, and then put clothes on him.
it is important for skin suffering from exzema to breath, and be exposed to fresh air.
it is also crucial that if you wear body lotion, or use softener for your own clothes, that his/her skin does not come in contact with you

Hi. I have a 9 month old baby boy who has eczema like you wouldn't believe! The ONLY thing that works on him is Eucerine Calming Cream. You can get it any like K-Mart or CVS or any place like that. Its the best I've found so far! Good luck!

You need to try this!!!! It sounds crazy but it WILL work...go to a professional retailer of salon products and pick up some "NIOXIN scalp treatment" put it on affected areas and leave for 4 mins, then rinse, do so 2-3 times a day or as often as you can..good luck! -J. S

Hi Reshema,
My son has eczema as well as my husband. I use Arbonne products on my son. Only the Arbonne baby wash for bathing and then I apply one of the skin conditioning oils. I have ben using the products for 5 years and love them!!! I am a wholesale buyer...meaning I receive all the products at a 35% discount. Please take a look at my website www.endlessopportunities.myarbonne.com. If you are interseted in samples I would be more that happy to get them out to you.
T.

Hi, Both of my kids had eczema as babies. The ONLY thing that EVER worked for them was (i know it sounds odd) but Vaseline!!! It's worth a try. They are 3 and 18 months now and don't have it anymore.
Good Luck!

Might sound odd but have you tried bag balm?

R.

I treat my 7 m.o. and myself - have tried soooo many things - personally, aquaphor didn;t help her - cetaphil or a generic to wash and moisturize has been most effective - we also saw Dr. Mary Sheehan (pediatric dermatologist) in Oakland - she was great - got lots of medication that we use only when it's really bad - does include steroids - she gave us protopic, desonide (both for application), derma-smoothe (for hair) and zyrtek (liquid dose for itchiness) - honestly, the derma-smoothe concerned me b/c she was only 2 m.o. but it really cleared her scalp w/ just 1-2 applications at a time. I know that for myself I have flare-ups at certain times of the year - the nice thing about the summer for me was getting some sun - this helps me a lot - sometimes I'd even hit a tanning bed through the winter - just enough to help. back to the kids thoug - I wonder if you've found food allergies as well - we are - she's had 2 reactions so far - so, we keep benadryl and hydrocorisone around now too. and I carry all of it (skin meds too) - wherever we go! keeping her cool also seems to help her skin - where she sweats gets awful. good luck - hope this helps!

Rene'

Hi, I too have a child with excema. He's 18 months old. I found that a cream called freederm hc works wonders! It does have about 1% hydrocortisone, but is safe for babies. I prefered a natural remedy but none worked and I couldn't stand seeing my child suffer. They have a website with pics and testimonials. Freederm.com I think or google freederm hc. Good luck!

Not sure if it will help but my son had eczema when he was younger. I did use Elidel when necessary, but I switched his soap to unscented dove & his lotion to eucerin. It made a big difference for him. I still avoid all other products for him (3 1/2yo) & my newborn. Also, you may want to try baby oil for the cradle cap. If you put it on & brush it through the cradle cap will flake off easier. If you put it on & let it dry completely before washing it off it seems to really help. Good luck, R.

Hi R.,

My son was born with Eczema as well. Extra Strength Cortizone always took it away the fastest. My pediatrician recommended it to me and now I use it on ever itch on everyone in the house. It is good stuff.
Also, my son is now four and grew out of it and no longer gets any spots.
Good Luck.

I found a great cream that I use on my son, it's made by Gentle Naturals and is called Baby Eczema Cream. You can find it in most grocery stores. I'm not fond of the smell but it really works.

http://www.gentlenaturals.com/products/eczema_cream.cfm

They also make a Baby Eczema Wash though I've never tried it.

Hi, R..
Eczema runs in my family. 2 of my 5 children have mild to moderate cases and I also like avoiding steriodal medication. There's this lovely product from Natural Elements that you can find in any drug store in the baby section. It's made especially for children with dry skin and eczema. It's made with calendula which is a marigold extract. I see that you have also tried Aquaphor. Eucerin is good also. If you look at the main ingredients to both of those lotions, its petroleum. In the summer I like to use a combination of petroleum jelly and a lotion with a vitamin E and/or aloe base to break up the heaviness of the petroleum and providing some much needed skin relief from the summer sun. Ask your pediatrician also about Elidel. It's a non-steriodal medication that you can get only through a prescription. I've heard mixed reviews about it. It works for some and not for others but the good thing is that it wouldn't be harmful. Wow, I didn't know I had so much to say. LOL. Good luck with the eczema. I hope some of this info helps your child.
E.

HI R.,
My 4 mth old has eczema and I use vaseline on the red areas as directed by my pediatrician and I keep the areas clean and dry after his bath. During the day is difficult w/the heat and constant friction from clothing etc.But try the Vaseline and let me know how it turns out.My son may just have a very mild case of it...Cradle cap I used Gentle treatment and wshed it ourt w/baby shampoo and then followed by rubbing a small amount of Vaseline on his scapl as well and I have been doing it for two weeks and it seems to have improved his cradle cap.I actually don't see any of the scaly signs of it at all except when he wears a hat for prolonged periods.

Hello,
My son has eczema and what I have done for him is 1; I make him oatmeal bathes with oatmeal and powdered milk 2; I use Aveeno lotion 3; I also make my own lotion with aloe, rosewater and almond oil 4; I use all natural laundry detergent 5; I limit all white foods.
I did my own reserch and these are the things that worked for me. I also get all my supplies at Giant food stores so it is more cost efficient.
I hope this helps,
A.

Hi R.,

Our daughter also had really bad eczema - we went the same route you did and ended up using Elidel. Finally, at about 2 1/2 years we went to an Allergy specialist. She had a few breathing episodes in that period which led us to the allergist. I tell you this because there is a link between eczema and asthma (or at least that is what we have been told). She is on medication for her allergies and we have not had any eczema - believe it or not...? FYI - our Dr and maybe yours for some reason were very skeptical about sending our daughter to an allergist. I don't think they like to classify these things in young children??

Hi R.,

We have eczma in our family too. It can be a real bother at times. Things I do to help reduce are keep certain areas as dry as possible; like in folds of skin and back of knees and in the folds of arms. It can be difficult in the summer however to keep dry. And I found that heat and humidity are a cause for us.

I tried Tea Tree Oil. Just a drop in bath water, or in a water solution consisting only of water and the oil. Usually when eczema is an issue it is often best to reduce baths and give more showers. Some times soaking in bath water can make it worse.

There is a site you can check out, www.rainiersoapworks.com. They have many soaps and lotions to choose from that may help. You can email them and ask about each thing to choose what is best.

I hope this helps,
M.

Hi R.. My name is D. Martin. I know of a lotion that is supposed to help with Eczema. It's called Renew. The company Melaleuca sells it. I had a spot on my elbow that was dry and flaky and itchy, just generally driving me crazy. I used it just once, and it cleared it up.

Recently heard of a baby who was deficient in zinc. Treated through CHOP but do not have details except that they were successful in treatment.

Also Sears "The Baby Book" recommends drinking more water.

Some need allergy testing to determine if it is either food or something in the home.

i don't know about eczema, but my daughter had cradle cap a couple times. i found it worked well to put baby oil on it and about 10-15 minutes later brush it with a tooth brush or something with similar bristles, then bathe her to wash the oil off. it cleared up the cradle cap within a couple days. good luck ... J.

Okay, here is what my 85 yr-old mother recommends, use vege oil or olive oil whatever you have in your house, warm it in a little dish in the micro, then apply the warmed oil on her scalp with your fingers every day when you bathe her, and rub it in gently. Do this each day just a little before you wash her hair. This will loosen craddle cap until it is gone. If it is craddle cap, this will work, if not, the oil still won't hurt her until you can find a different remedy.

M.

I work for a pharmaceutical advertising agency and we used to work on a product called Elidel which is for eczema. I believe it can only be used on children over 2 years old and that may be why your pediatrician didn't prescribe it. I'm sorry I don't have more information about the product but you can read more about it on their website: www.elidel.com. I hope you can find a treatment for your daughter soon!

I have had bad eczema on my hands and face for quite some time now. The dermatoligist gave me some steroid creams (Elidell which is suppose to be safer to use on my face, I have to say is quite painful, the next day you feel like you have a sunburn where you used the cream). They helped somewhat but didn't always clear it up. Finally after a few years they suggested that I be tested for allergies. Come to find out I am allergic to Formaldahyde. Unbelieveable what you would find it in. Soaps (just about every liquid soap I look at), shampoo, make up, it is used in a chemical that is put on clothing and carpeting, and many things that I may not even know of yet. The only liquid soap that I can find in the store that I can use is Ivory. I use All Free and Clear laundry detergent. That seems to be the only one that I can use. It is really frustrating when looking at ingredients on packages because you have to look for so many other names that may be used for formaldahyde. Sorry for the rambleing on. I hope this might help others as well. Good luck..

Hi R.. My 3 yr. old son also has eczema. It gets worse in the summer due to hot temperatures and sweat. I wash him several times a day without soap. Soap and shampoos always make eczema worse, so try to limit it, babies don't get dirty enough to need soap every time they bathe. Before bed time I usually put some baby lotion on him, the kind for super sensitive skin with no fragrance. I do not use Protopic or Elidel (Steroid meds.) unless it gets really bad. One that I use a lot is Florasone Homeopathic Cream. It is sold at many natural foods stores. I hope it helps, good luck!

Hello R.,

If you treat the symptoms and not the cause, you haven't solved the problem. Your little Maya may have a food allergy, it's more common than you think. You can try eliminating things like dairy and wheat from her diet for a week or more and see what happens. If her symptoms disappear or begin to clear up, you have your answer.

There is a wonderful nutritionist and lactation counselor in Brookfield - Connie Marcy IBCLC who can advise you. There is also a good pediatric gastroenterologist office in Norwalk - Dr. Mark S. Glassman - who has helped two of my granddaughters.

K.

Hi, my dauther used to get it on her body..i used aveno, the have a lotion just for eczema and dry skin...she hasn't had a break out in a long time. i don't know if this will help i hope it does!

Hello,

My daughter also has eczema, she's had it since she was about 2, she is now 7. It flares up once and a while, it tends to get better as they get older. Well, in her case it's getting better. I have to tell you, we use ucerin, that you can buy at cvs or walmart and mix it with a perscription from her pediatrician, it's hydrocortizone, but you have to mix them together for it to work right. Also, if you have a pool it's a good idea to let her go in it, the chlorine tends to help, also, ocean water tends to dry it up, so does the chlorine pool. Just some ideas for you, since I've been thru it with my daughter. Hope this helps,

S.

Wal-mart sells a baby excema remedy called "gentle naturals". It worked wonders for my son. It is either in the baby section, or in the baby section in the pharmacy. It is a green bottle. Good luck.

http://www.nutramed.com/eczema/eczema_children.htm

Dear R.,
Sorry to hear about your child's problem with eczema. I was reading the above website that suggests some children with eczema may have food allergies. I know you said she was born with it though. I would suggest maybe trying an allergist or someone who specializes in natural alternatives (homeopathic)rather than treating with drugs or together with the drugs if you'd prefer. You can check on the Internet and try to do your own research and try to find someone you may feel comfortable with. Good Luck with your precious little girl.
S.

Hi Reshema,

I have a 9yr old who started getting eczema at 5yrs, so I o undersatnd your fustration. Its gets worst than otheres around the winter time. Here are some suggestion i find helpful. Make sure that your home or apt is not dry due to the winter heat. be mindul of the detergent you use to wash clothes. Powder detergents tend to caues flare ups. I'm not a fan of the steroid medication, my daughter use to use eledel (which has steroids). Since then she uses a non steroid medication. It works when applied often. I see that you use aquafor, if that doesn not work try Eucerine and good luck. Also you can verify all this info with your pediatrician.

My 14 month old has had it since birth. We have tried everything as well, and even though it has its risks, the only thing that has worked for her is Elidel.

A dietician told us that her eczema may be caused by a food allergy. She told us to try cutting out her dairy, and her eczema did go away on her body, and it was only on her face and feet after we took out milk. Also, if you do try this, make sure you try it for at least 3 or 4 weeks to get results. You won't see a difference over night.The dietician said to start by giving her rice milk, as this has less allergens than soy, but my daughter didn't like it. She now drinks Lactaid, which has 60 % calcium.

Does Maya have alleries? You never mentioned that. Maybe you should look a look little closer to what she is eating and start experimenting.

You might want to consider discussing a referral to an allergist. At a recent pediatric conference I attended, the allergists mentioned that sometimes skin symptoms of allergy that do not respond to creams can be related to an environmental allergy. It can take awhile to get scheduled, but if you have insurance, it might be worth the time.

Good luck,
M.

We have had some relief lately. We have been washing her clothes in either dreft or this laundry soap I forget. Then we let it go through the entire cycle again. This makes sure all the soap is out of her clothes. My baby also scratched with her blanket so we switched to a different softer one. As for the cradle cap our doctor suggested dandruff shampoo.

R.,

My 6 month old daughter was recently diagnosed with Eczema. Her doc recommended Aquaphor cleanser and Eucerin cream 2x a day. Based on a friend's advice, I bought Mustela Stelatopia cleanser and cream from Bath & Body WOrks in Tyson's. They have worked wonderfully for her skin! It is so soft and the Eczema has disappeared. It's on the expensive side - $17 for the cream and $13 for the cleanser, but I think well worth it. Her pediatrician recommended that I mix the Aquaphor cleanser with the Mustela cleanser.

I believe Mustela also makes a milk bath for Eczema that is really good.

Hope this helps!

K.

When my son got cradle cap his pediatrician recommended a tar shampoo, it's found by the dandruff shampoos. when they get in the tub wet their hair and apply shampoo and rub it in well. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and watch the baby's eyes. Then just rinse it out and wash again with baby shampoo because the smell isn't so pretty! Do this twice a week and it should work wonders. Also,for eczema my son always got eucerin rubbed on his face and it worked great. also oatmeal baths don't hurt.

Hi R..

My daughter was about 5 months old when she started to get eczema. Mainly on her face and it would bleed. Her peditrician tried the aquaphor, Eucerin, Aveeno, Elidel and nothing helped until I brought her to a dermatologist in Boston who prescribed Dermator and then suggested that we bring her to an allergist. (He had never seen a child that young with cheeks covered with eczema.) We did and found out she was allergic to eggs, broccoli, peanuts and histamines. I stopped giving her baby food broccoli and limited her exposure to products that had eggs in them. With the Dermator and the food restrictions we were able to get it cleared before she scarred. She is almost 4 and has not used Dermator since I had the free samples. She occasionally gets it behind her knees in the winter but I put some Aveeno Moisturizing Cream and it seems to work well. Oatmeal baths take some of the itch out. Hope this has been helpful.

This might be obvious to the moms who've been dealing with eczema for some time, but I thought it is worth noting. Keep your baby cool! Eczema is worse in the summer because of the heat and sweat. Our 8 month old has a ring of red around her neck that really comes and goes with the heat.

My husband has always suffered from eczema and he is currently a medical student. He was given Cutemol samples from the derm professors at U Penn and that worked wonders but we have had a tough time finding it in stores. Internet is probably the best way to get it.

Regards,

P.

I gotta tell ya eczema was a thorn in my side for a couple months when my first born was an infant after all the rx from the doc all the homemade remedies the thing i found worked the best was eucerin creme mixed with 1% cortisone cream all over the counter
turns out she super sensitive to detergents and sunblocks
if we avoid those we are usuallty ok good luck

R.,
I didn't read all the responses, so, you probably got this already...many eczema remedies have alcohol in them....funny huh. Anyway, even the tiniest bit can scorch the skin and make it worse. Whole Foods has a brand that's w/o alcohol. Also, definitely take a trip to the allergist...allergies are a common cause as is heat. I also limited baths for Robbie. And when he did take a bath, he happened to like cool water rather than warm, so he took very short baths in cool water.
Hope you get your answers...it's so frustrating to see our kids hurting.

M.

My little borother had eczema as a baby, and my mom used Aveeno Oatmeal baths on him. Have you spoken to your ped about a recommendation to a ped dermatologist? They're really the best starting point for this kind of thing.

R.,

For Eczema on the scalp, Olive Oil works wonders. Dab it on and then leave it over night. Wash her hair in the morning. You may have to use a comb/fingernail to get it off her scalp but the olive oil loosens it quite well. Good Luck. Where do you live?

Sue

I just wanted to check with you to see if you have brought your child to be allergy tested? My 2nd son had eczema and cradle cap starting at 2months old. We brought him to be allergy tested at 4months old & not because our dr. recommended it. They were content to have us "cover-up" the symptoms with bandaids - aquaphor, cortisone cream, dandruff shampoo, etc...

It turns out that my son is allergic to a bunch of stuff & was getting exposed through the breastmilk. (If he had been formula fed, he would have still been exposed to the proteins he was allergic to.).

I hope you are able to figure out the cause & fix it!

- E.

HI MY NAME IS L. AND I TOO HAVE A 4 MONTH OLD WITH BAD ECZEMA I HAD TRIED THIS CREME FRO EURCIN AQUAPHOR AND I HAVE BEEN USING IT FOR A WEEK NOW GOT THE IDEA FROM MOMS ON HERE SHE TOO ALSO HAS CRADLE CAP AND IT WORKS I SEE HER FACE CLEARING UP MORE AND MORE

i have been obsessed with eczema for 3 years now since my son was born. we too have gone thru all the usual remedies and have been to all the specialists. i havent found a brilliant non steroidal cure, but here is my regimine which right now is working well
he has been allergy tested for everything and nothing but cats and dust mites show up. i cover his mattress and pillows with dust mite coverings- i wash his sheets and vacuum often. i also use dye free detergents.
he gets at least 2 baths a day - i put him in an empty tub, cover him with the oatmeal bath (there is now a cheaper generic kind in my area since aveeno is expensive). i use this instead of soap or shampoo and it moisturizes his skin. as soon as he gets out i cover him in vaseline and dress him completely (long sleeves and socks). bad areas get steroids, but my allergist just gave us this new combination hydrocortisone and acid mantle- you may want to ask about that since it can be used all over the body daily to keep skin hydrated and not so itchy.
i think our main defense has been the vaseline and keeping him moist. also we do atarax at night. it is all VERY time consuming but when i dont do it the alternative is worse.
i have tried to cut out dyes from his diet a bit ( getting rid of the trix yogurts!).
we go swimming every day but i lather him in vaseline and the chlorine doesnt effect him much if i do this, but he cant go in the baby pool since it is too chlorinated. and i shower him immediately afterwards.
hope this helps- please let me know if you come up with anything else.
our dermatologist is patricia hyde at dupont and allergist is dr marcote in trolley square. both are excellent but it is up to mom to combine all of the advice and make sense of it.
good luck
E.